Poodle Forum banner

lots of questions

2K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  Mister 
#1 ·
Hi, I am about to adopt a very shy, timid poodle .. (hopefully by tomorrow)
these are question just in case he does come home with me!

.. he is getting neutered tomorrow and i believe he isn't going to be too active because he's so shy but i'm still a bit worried .. also this is going to his first day home (no so idyllic) and i'm a bit worried about where he sleeps
i was planning on having his crate in my room which is upstairs but i read that he shouldn't go up the stairs so would it be okay for me to carry him? i want to be extra cautious so his stitches won't rip out
should i just have his crate downstairs until he fully heals?

while i was visiting him, he pooped and his stools were not exactly "healthy" but it wasn't sever diarrhea.. i was researching up pet food and can't believe how many bad ingredients are in some brands!! also i read that the high protein brands can often cause loose stools and problems... which food should i purchase for him?

lastly
like healthy dog food, are there healthy treats? the internet doesn't have much on this topic. I want to start getting my dog used to hands (he flinches when he sees one) and also start rewarding him for good behavior ASAP so i can start building up his confidence! .. good treat recommendations will be appreciated :)


wow i wrote an entire essay :doh:
thanks ahead of time!

edit: one more
the shelter told me that they will check his health before letting me adopt. lets say they tell me that he is healthy .. should i still visit a vet? i mean.. is this reliable?

thanks.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I always take my new dogs to the vet within 72 hours. I knew Captain was coming from a reputable breeder, and I took him to the vet, good thing too, because he had tape worms she hadn't seen, and weren't present on the paperwork from her vet's healthcheck from 48 hours before we brought him home.

Blue Buffalo makes a grain-free biscuit, but they are quite big. My poodle is a mini and likes the mini-kong treats. We haven't found one that is a total winner for him yet, though.
 
#3 ·
I have dealt with timid dogs in rescue situations and I will tell you this it takes time for them to adjust, coming from a shelter can be very stressful and it just takes time and patience.

We had some very timid Chihuahuas who came from a kennel and it took him about two months before he would stand and let us pet him. But we just let him do his own thing and went slow, after about 4 months he was placed in a home and lives a very happy life!

As for coming home after being fixed he should be fine male dogs have 1 to 2 stitches and sometimes are even glued, I would not worry to much about them. I am sure carrying him up and down the stairs would be fine.

Poop, its a tricky thing and even the slightest upset in routine or diet can make poops less then firm. I would start him on a high quality food like Diamond Naturals, Taste of The Wild or Blue Buffalo. As for treats I would go with something soft for now I don;t give many treats per-say but when I do I use the liver treats you can get at wal-mart.

Congrats on adopting a Poodle and pictures welcome!
 
#4 ·
I would not allow him on the stairs and I would also avoid picking him up too much also. Although he is being neutered I would plan to place the crate where you intend to keep the crate, and not move it tto much. It seems he has a few little issues as it is.

Although Blue Buffalo is not grain free it is low grain but I have tried many and I sware by this food for health, coat, tearing and they tend to like the taste the best with my 4. I am currently switching back from TOW. ANd they do have some good treats that are grain free or low grain. But this puppy being timid/shy and a little skitish (I have one of those) the best tasting treat is best for noww...food always encourages the dogs and he will work for it. Peanut butter treats, bacon (limited), cheese, we also do the microwave hot dogs plumcrazy has shared these are treats that get results:) It sounds exciting and you are eager to get this boy on the right path!

I would say see the Vet with in a few weeks, I think a little time with you to see if there is anything else you need to monitor, stools eating habits etc. This way you are not making 2 trips, a just in case meassure.

Good luck with your new baby boy!!! And be sure to post pictures!
 
#6 ·
we also do the microwave hot dogs plumcrazy has shared these are treats that get results:)
All good advice so far (especially the picture requests!) :)

The microwave hotdogs Olie mentioned are what our teen volunteers used to love to make at the humane society I managed - we would buy inexpensive hot dogs and slice them into (appoximately) 1/2 inch-ish slices. Lay them flat on a microwave safe plate and cook the cr@p out of them :lol: We'd do them 30 - 40 seconds at a time and flip them if necessary, but we'd cook them until they are just a little crispy - you can break them up into smaller pieces for training if you want to - my dogs LOVE them!! And because they're cooked pretty crisp, they're not overly greasy.

The best advice I have for you about the neuter, where to keep the crate, etc... don't worry until you have something to worry about!! :) I truly believe in the law of positive attraction - Essentially, "if you really want something and truly believe it's possible, you'll get it", but putting a lot of attention and thought onto something you don't want means you'll probably get that too. (thanks Wikipedia!)

I think it is imperative to cultivate a great relationship with your vet (and HOPEFULLY you love your vet as much as I love mine!) and I also think it is important for your vet to get to know your new pup. Whenever I add a new pack member, I make an appointment with my veterinarian so she can learn all she can about our new dog. Lucy visted my vet within 24 hours of coming home and my vet promptly fell deeply in love with her!! I would recommend the vet visit!

All I can say about food is get the best you can afford and try to avoid switching anything really quickly - if you need to change from one food to another, start by mixing the new in with the current food and slowly increase the volume of new food until the switch is complete. I've known dogs who have been fine with sudden food changes and others who've had some gastrointestinal upset - I like to set my guys up for success and give their bellies time to acclimate to any new diet... Also, as was mentioned; low grain or grain-free is usually a better choice but no matter what, get something with high quality ingredients.

Oh yeah and post pictures when you get your new guy!!
 
#5 ·
So exciting! Everyone else has given great tips so far. The thing I would add is that you should move on his terms. Let him come to you as much as possible. If he flinches away from you at the moment, then he's not finding human touch very pleasurable. The best thing is to try not to pet him too much and eventually he will most likely come over to you and ask for attention. It may take days, weeks or months but it's best not to force him to interact with you more than he is initially comfortable with. You certainly can encourage him to interact with you though with super yummy treats. :)

I would recommend this book if you haven't seen it. It's geared especially to your situation and will help you to understand some of where he might be coming from. I found it very helpful when I was thinking of adopting a rescue. http://www.amazon.com/Petfinder-com...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267660368&sr=8-1
 
#7 ·
Kudos to you for adopting and being willing to give this little guy a great home with lots of patience!!!! It really makes me sad he flinches at the sight of a hand. :(

I just spayed my little girl, and it seems like the surgery these days are better than they used to be. Meaning that they recover more quickly and are not as fragile as you might think. This can be a bad thing too. The dog will think he is stronger than he is, so help him take it extra easy for as long as your vet recommends.

I don't have any more suggestions on the crate placement. I did start a thread in the training section about treats and have had tons of really good responses. It's always nice to have a few treats around to suit different situations. Here is a quick link for you.

http://www.poodleforum.com/showthread.php?t=3827

Do keep us updated and can't wait to see pictures!
 
#8 ·
For the neuter i wouldnt worry about the stairs as long as he is walking up them and not sprinting up them lol.
As far as the food uts true that some of the higher protein kibbles can cause loose stool but i believe this is due to the fiber level. it should be right at 3%...you can always add canned pumpkin to his food too and that will firm up his stool as well and also help with constipation.
Usually good food lines have treats that go along with the kibble but not always. A good rule of thumb is to stay away from corn wheat or soy...and if your going with a completely grain free food then stay away from grains in treats. I think my Spoo has allergies to grains so i just stay away from them all togother.
Good luck with the new guy and once he is all adjusted to your household and your family then try to take him everywhere with you as well as training classes so he can build his confidence. Its not like a Spoo to be so shy, they are usually big goof balls. Im sure he just needs a stable home environment and then his true colors will show.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top